The Fugitive Princess and the Earth Spirit King
“I’m Derek Walker. I’ve come to recruit a spirit mage. This is my aide, Mason Elfer, and this is my slave, Sera.”
She looked like a much younger nun, but starting off on a good note couldn’t hurt. The spirit mages of Laus Lake were tightly knit—if you slighted one, word spread fast.
The girl glanced back and forth between me, Elfer, and Sera. Her eyes lingered on Sera, the beastkin. She seemed to prefer the beastkin over us humans. The girl looked human like us, but maybe her spirit mage affinity drew her gaze to Sera.
“A beastkin, huh. Understood. If you’re guests visiting our village with legitimate intentions, it’s only right we welcome you.”
With that, she hopped down from the tree branch. It was at least ten meters up, but she landed lightly on the ground. She moved like an elf freely roaming the forest. I’d never met an elf, but that’s how I imagined they’d be. Her bow, aimed at us moments ago, was now slung over her back.
“Follow me.”
We trailed her into the village. The small settlement, centered around the lake, was as quaint and plain as in the game. Most huts were made from dead wood, equipped only with the bare minimum for survival. Their obsessive attachment to nature oozed from the landscape. More precisely, it was the will of the spirits they’d contracted with.
“I’ll fetch the village chief.”
She vanished right in front of us, her body blinking out like she’d said. Elfer and I were a bit startled, but Sera looked unfazed.
“She’s cloaked herself with a wind spirit. But she couldn’t hide her scent, so she’s probably still a kid in training.”
Sera, true to her beastkin nature, knew more about spirits than Elfer. If you ranked nature-attuned races, beastkin came right after elves.
“A kid that small handling a wind spirit. Just like the rumors.”
Elfer stared in awe at the child, no taller than half her height, wielding spirits. Spirit mages were rare on the continent, so the sight was impressive. But in Laus Lake, the cradle of spirit mages, it was probably commonplace.
A few minutes later, the girl returned with a kindly old man. He leaned on a staff made from a charred black branch, like it had been struck by lightning. His appearance alone screamed he was the iconic NPC, Memphis Hoground, representative of Laus Lake. The go-to guy when hiring spirit mage party members.
“I’m Memphis Hoground. This frail body of mine serves as village chief here. Welcome, travelers.”
“The pleasure’s ours. I’m Derek Walker. This is my aide, Elfer, and my slave, Sera.”
“Here to recruit a spirit mage companion?”
“That’s right.”
“Then let me provide you a place to stay. It won’t be easy choosing in just a day or two.”
The chief gave us a house to use. The village had guest quarters, but they were little more than barns—no beds, just piles of straw. No toilet either; the village only had communal ones, and cooking was done at a shared hearth since there were no kitchens. Surprisingly, even the regular spirit mages lived like this.
In the game, I thought it was just a quirky setting, but these guys are voluntary homeless.
The “house” was basically just a roof. It was barely better than sleeping under the stars. The conditions were abysmal, but we couldn’t complain. Our goal was to recruit her as fast as possible.
“Feel free to seek companions around the village. Kids eager to see the world, gain experience, or confident in their spirit arts will follow you. But never force anyone unwilling. And above all… don’t anger the spirits. Remember that last part. Spirits are like children—once they’re mad, it’s incredibly hard to calm them.”
Hoground gave the same warning as Epion Village’s chief: Don’t piss off the spirits. On the continent, underestimating a spirit’s whims was like handing a bandit your sword. I knew well how troublesome angry spirits could be. Their curses weakened resistance to that element and alienated you from other spirits, leading to chain curses. According to Elfer, it was like being rejected by nature itself. A fire spirit’s curse might make warmth from flames elusive, snuff fires when you approached, or heighten risks of fire demons.
I scouted the village for spirit mages, but most avoided me. Probably my looks. Even those chatting amiably with Elfer and Sera would lower their eyes and back away when I approached. A stark reminder of lookism’s ills. Of course, I’d run from a pig like me too.
This appearance was never helpful.
“Hmph! So-called spirit mages aren’t any different from regular folks! They can’t see even a speck of Master’s inner beauty and just run away! Master, you don’t need to feel down about idiots like them~!”
Sera fumed on my behalf like she’d been insulted. Sorry, but Sera was the one blind to my true nature. She was already head over heels. Maybe the spirit mages fled not just my looks, but glimpsed my ugly soul? A valid theory. Gotta watch that.
“Don’t worry. Scum like that aren’t even on my wanted list anyway.”
“Then who’re you taking? We’ve met pretty much everyone in the village by now, right?”
As Sera said, we’d covered most prospects. The village was tiny; it took less than a day. But I hadn’t found my target yet. If she wasn’t out in the open after all this, she’d be there.
I headed there with Sera.
*-*-*
About 100 meters from Laus Lake lay a small cave the villagers rarely visited. Without a guide, even the game made it a pain to find. The lake brimmed with nature’s qi, hosting not just water spirits but various kinds. Invisible to non-spirit mages like me, they drew mages close. But this cave housed only tiny earth spirits, so most ignored it—even earth spirit mages, since stronger ones lurked lakeside.
“Yeah, yeah. So I came early on purpose today. Hehe.”
A gloomy girl’s voice echoed in the cave. She spoke as if conversing, but only her voice sounded.
“Really? I like that too. So, starting tomorrow, come this early?”
“Yeah! Got it. I love chatting with you like this.”
The clear voice confirmed I’d found her. Pretty faces had beautiful, bright voices. Hearing it, I recalled her game illustration.
Heh. Can’t wait to fuck her. But the spirit… might not be that easy.
I stomped loudly on purpose. Thud, thud. The voice’s owner panicked.
“S-someone’s coming! No one ever comes here…”
Her voice drew nearer, echoing off the walls. I slowed my steps. Soon, a girl appeared before me. Wearing a necklace emitting faint light, she was petite with a voluptuous figure. Her bangs hid her eyes, giving a gloomy vibe, but her ample breasts and hips softened it. In a way, like Sera—though Sera’s curves were incomparably overwhelming.
“W-who are you?”
Her frail voice held more fear than wariness.
“I’m Derek Walker. I came from Coolong Territory to recruit a companion.”
“Oh… I see.”
She nodded, murmuring shakily, convinced. The chief said a few outsiders visited monthly, so it wasn’t rare for her.
“But how’d you know about this cave…”
No time for explanations. I brushed past into the depths. She yelped “Ah!” and reached out but couldn’t stop me—like watching an intruder in her room. Pretty much what I was doing.
At the cave’s end sat piles of stone statues she’d carved. She watched me inspect them, face flushed with shame. Her lips moved silently. Trying to evict me? Not her style.
“I know all about this place. That’s the kind of guy I am.”
I declared it outright and pulled an item from my inventory: the long-stored Sun Medal. Symbol of the Sun Hero, it proved my identity to the select few. My trump card, alongside the strategy guide, for breezing through Solary World.
As I revealed it, earth gathered, as if infused with will. The girl gasped.
“Nooum!”
The clump formed a small armadillo-like shape. Earth-toned except ruby-red eyes—a manifested earth spirit visible to all. And not just any: the Earth Spirit King, Crit.
“The Sun Medal, and authentic… You’re this era’s great hero?”
The mini-armadillo tilted its head, voice thick with doubt. Fair enough—I wasn’t a hero.
“Me coming to find you is proof enough.”
“True, without the medal’s sight of past, present, and future, you couldn’t have found my hidden form. Fine, I acknowledge you as this era’s Sun Hero.”
Crit bought it hook, line, and sinker.
“Nooum! He’s… the Sun Hero!?”
The girl’s question got a nod from Crit.
“Looks a bit off, but yeah. He’s the one. Heroes aren’t picked for faces, so ugly’s fine. This medal’s the proof. Few humans know its meaning, though.”
Even spirits found my face weird. Hmm. Decent in orc society? Fuck that—who cares? I’d get plastic surgery someday.
“But why’s someone like you here…?”
“What, you haven’t told the girl your true identity?”
Crit nodded at my question.
“No need. I bonded with Kelly for her pure heart, not talent. Though she’s gifted too.”
“T-talent? Nooum, what’re you talking about? I don’t get it.”
The gloomy girl, Parakelia, looked lost. I explained in Crit’s stead.
“This isn’t just any earth spirit. It’s the Earth Spirit King, Crit—ruler of the vast lands beneath our feet to the world’s edge.”
I added flattery. Spirits didn’t mind it. As expected, Crit replied pleased.
“Aw, flattery from a stranger. I’m not that grand—just a strong earth spirit.”
At “Spirit King,” Parakelia’s face cracked like shattered glass—pure shock, like learning her birth secret.
I dropped another bomb: “By birth, you’re his equal, aren’t you? Second princess of Mailock Kingdom, Lady Paria.”
She flopped onto her ass. It must’ve hurt, but she scrambled backward on all fours, ignoring it, looking pitiful. Terror-stricken, she cried:
“Here to catch me? W-who sent you? My sister? Stepmother…?”
“Rest easy. Like this spirit said, I’m the Sun Hero. A merchant from Miles Kingdom, no ties to Mailock.”
She didn’t relax. Her glare was fierce now, worlds from her initial timidity. Impressive for such a mousy girl.
“Nooum, staff!”
Earth rose like writhing tentacles, stacking into a staff. Tall as her, earthen and crude like Crit. Gripping it, Parakelia’s stance turned warrior-like—a seasoned knight’s poise, honed by brutal royal training since childhood.
“Worthy of Mailock’s famed knight-princess. Pity you lean more mage.”
“I don’t care about the throne! Just leave me alone!”
Her sharp cry drew a sigh from Crit.
“Kelly, put the staff away. He’s probably not from the kingdom.”
“B-but how does he know my identity…?”
“He’s the Sun Hero. How to explain this…”
Parakelia stowed the staff at Crit’s words but kept her guard up. Only after Crit explained the Sun Medal and its power did she fully dispel it. Still, no trust.
“I came to recruit you as a companion. Become a knight in my Coolong Territory.”
Straight to the point. Her eyes shook wildly—overwhelmed, now forced with a life-altering choice.
As she froze, Crit spoke: “He’s the Sun Hero, Kelly. Following him benefits me too. You’ll leave with someone someday. Hard to find better.”
“B-but…”
Her eyes trembled anxiously despite Crit’s persuasion. I could guess her worries.
In the story, Parakelia’s hunted by Mailock royals. That’s gotta be it.
Crit caught on, turning to me: “Kelly, if you’re still uneasy, how about this? I, your guardian spirit, will test if he can protect you from Mailock’s lackeys.”